Ristella rurkii

Ristella rurkii
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Sauria
Infraorder:	Scincomorpha
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Ristella
Species:	R. rurkii
Binomial name
Ristella rurkii Gray, 1839
Synonyms
Ristella rurkii Gray, 1839 Ateuchosaurus travancoricus Beddome, 1870 (part) Ristella malabarica Stoliczka, 1871 Ristella rurki [sic] — M.A. Smith, 1935 Ristella rurkii — Das, 1996[2]

Ristella rurkii, commonly known as Rurk's Ristella, is a species of skink endemic to southern India.

Etymology

The specific name, rurkii, is in honor of "Dr. Rurk" who collected the type specimen.^[3]

Geographic range

R. rurkii is found in India, in the Anaimalai Hills, Travancore, and the Palni Hills.

References

1. Srinivasulu B, Srinivasulu C. (2013). "Ristella rurkii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
2. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
3. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Ristella rurkii, p. 229).

Further reading

• Beddome RH. (1870). Descriptions of some new lizards from the Madras Presidency. Madras Monthly J. Med. Sci. 1: 30-35. (Ateuchosaurus travancoricus, p. 33).
• Smith MA. (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Ristella rurki [sic], p. 331).
• Stoliczka F. (1871). Notes on new or little-known Indian Lizards. Proc. Asiatic Soc. Bengal (Calcutta) 1871: 192-195. (Ristella malabarica, p. 195).